Gator research uncovers increased levels of mercury in the state’s swamps.
Gator research uncovers increased levels of mercury in the state’s swamps.
New research from the University of Georgia’s Odum School of Ecology and Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant suggests there may be elevated levels of mercury in Georgia and South Carolina waters.
In studying alligators from the Okefenokee Swamp, Jekyll Island and Yawkey Wildlife Center, UGA researchers found high levels of mercury, prompting concerns about the levels of the heavy metal in the environment.
“Alligators are very ancient creatures, and we can look at them in these areas as an indicator of what else might be happening in the ecosystem. Studying them can relate to many different things in the food web,” said Kristen Zemaitis, lead author of the study and a graduate of the Odum School.
Read more at University of Georgia
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